Squash: Motor City Open coming to Birmingham Athletic Club WITH VIDEO

Max Lee (left) of Hong Kong, and Nafiizwan Adnan of Malaysia are world class squash players participating in the Motor City Open Jan. 24-29 at the Birmingham Athletic Club.

BIRMINGHAM -- Temperatures were a lot warmer when Max Lee and Nafiizwan Adnan departed recently from the Far East en route to frigid Michigan.

But not to worry, the two athletes -- they're world-ranked squash players -- will not be outside freezing, but heating up the cozy confines of the Birmingham Athletic Club (BAC) as the Motor City Open squash tournament takes place.

Beginning Thursday and through next Tuesday, some of the world's best squash players will vie for honors at the 14th annual event in one of the country's most prestigious tournaments.

"We're the fourth largest PSA (Professional Squash Association) event in the U.S.," said Julian Wellings, director of squash for the BAC.

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What is squash?

It's the fruit of a plant, of course.

But when it comes to athletics, squash is also a high-paced sport similar to racquetball and handball, but more physical and strategic, according to Wellings, who is recognizing an increased interest in the sport.

There are an estimated 1.2 million squash players in the United States, which boasts the fastest-growing squash participation level of any country worldwide. There's even a campaign to include squash in the 2020 Olympic Games.

"The popularity from a participation point of view, it has grown a lot," Wellings said.

The sport's origins go back to around 1830 in England, when students discovered that a punctured Racketsball, which "squashed" on impact with the wall, produced a game with a greater variety of shots and required more effort from players, who could not wait for the ball to bounce back to them.

The ball, about the size of a golf ball, is not pressurized and actually dead until it heats up from the blazing strokes from the elite players.

The fastest recorded speed has been 175 mph according to Wellings, a native of England who learned the sport from his dad as an eight-year old.

"I just loved it straight away," he said. "It's kind of took over my life ever since."

Indeed, Wellings played professionally for 10 years and was ranked as high as No. 42 in the world before he retired about 10 years ago.

After becoming director of squash at the BAC, he helped develop the program for all ages. "There was a good number of adults playing," he said, "but the junior program was (built) basically from scratch."

Now, there are dozens of boys and girls in the junior program, including Charlie Beauregard, a freshman at Birmingham Brother Rice and avid squash player. "I like the exercise," said Beauregard, who has played in tournaments for perhaps five years, "(but) the best part is when I travel. That's definitely the most fun."

And travel is what Adnan, from Malaysia, and Lee, from Hong Kong, have done to get to the tournament, enduring some 14 hours of flight time for one of their favorite competitions.

"It's really cold," Lee said of the Michigan climate, "but it's good to see snow as well."

"We always come here, this is my third time," said Adnan, who is ranked No. 33 in the world. "We're very happy to play this year again."

Lee, in his fourth Motor City Open, is ranked No. 30 in the world.

Egypt, England, India and Malaysia are among countries strong in squash, and each will be represented at the Motor City Open. Other top participants include Nicholas Muller of Switzerland, ranked No. 21, Hisham Mohd Ashour of Egypt, a finalist in last year's tournament, and Mohamed El Shorbagy of Egypt, the 2011 Motor City Open champion.

Notes: The MCO includes a silent auction that will benefit The Karmanos Cancer Institute and Racquet Up Detroit, a youth development program that combines squash, mentoring, tutoring and community service. During its 14-year history, the MCO has raised more than $120,000 for local charities. More Information can be found online at TheMotorCityOpen.com, @MotorCityOpen on Twitter, or facebook.com/MotorCityOpen